


your name on my lips, tongue tied

by evermorecardan



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Cardan Greenbriar's Tail, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar Fluff, Not Beta Read, Post-Book 3: The Queen of Nothing, Soft Cardan Greenbriar, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29395023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evermorecardan/pseuds/evermorecardan
Summary: Cardan tells Jude his true name.
Relationships: Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar
Comments: 6
Kudos: 92





	your name on my lips, tongue tied

**Author's Note:**

> Heyy, so this is my first time writing in a looong time and also my first time writing for this fandom, so be gentle. 
> 
> I'm not sure how faeries names work so i did what i could.

"I wish I could forget it." Jude whispers, as if talking to herself more than to him. But Cardan hears her all the same.

"What?" he asks curious, looking up at her. 

"The Ghost's name. Must be an awful thing to know that people have power over you and there's nothing you can do about it." She answers, a sad distant look on her eyes like remembering a bad nightmare. She shudders and Cardan is quick to hug her, arms strong and comforting around her like a safety blanket. "It would drive me crazy, knowing I'm never fully in control of myself." 

Silence stretches between them, as tangible as the shadows of the palace. 

"Well, yes. It must be a pretty terrifying thing but I believe he doesn't give it that much thought." Cardan says after a moment of considering carefully his words, reaching out a finger to trace the shape of Jude's ear, the round curve that always facinated him. 

"Why is that?" Jude can't understand how Garret is not freaking out, trying to come up with plans to make them forget his name or something equally crazy like that. She wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully if she were him. 

"He has Taryn. They love each other. And she knows his full name so she can stop him from doing anything he wouldn't want to do." He explains like is the easiest thing in the world. And maybe it is, Jude thinks. 

"Yeah. I guess you're right." 

Cardan's tail is around her arm, Jude smiles slightly and with her free hand plays careful and delicately with it, he can't help but to let out a slight moan at her touches on his tail and Jude just laughs. Who would've thought she could have this much effect on the High King of Elfhame? 

"Would you like to know mine?" He asks softly, looking at her with such adoration as she just hang all of the stars in the sky. As she's the sickness and the cure all in one. His dearest punishment. 

"Would I like to know what?" she asks confused, having been distracted by his tail. 

"My true name." Cardan answers and Jude swears she misheard him, her heart skips a beat and she looks at him with her eyes and mouth wide open. 

"You don't have to tell me, Cardan. I don't need to know." She says after a long silence, frowning and moving her hand to her husband's cheek. 

"I know that. I want to tell you. I trust you, Jude. Like I've told you before, my heart may be a shabby, worm-eaten, and scabrous thing but it's yours. I'm yours and I want to give you everything of me." The genuineness in his voice makes her wanna cry. 

Cardan whom she hated. The cruelest prince she’d ever known. The boy who ripped the wings from a pixie at a revel, and tortured her whenever he got the chance. And then, Cardan who put his unwavering trust in her, who rescued her from the dark holds of the sea, and continuously, courageously showed up for her time and time again even when she gave him no reasons to trust her. Even when the safest option was to leave her behind, he never did. 

Jude blinks. Of all the things to come from her her husband, the offer of knowing his true name never crossed her mind. She never thought he would want to tell her anyway, not after she forced him to follow her commands. 

Jude was slowly learning that love is trusting unconditionally, letting go, falling into the other person's arms. Love meant that she wasn't in control and if it were anyone else that'd be terrifying, yes. But it was Cardan, so Jude was getting to be okay with that. 

"Okay, if you want to tell me... then I would like to know." She finally forces her mouth to speak, the words spoken softly and her gaze locked in his. 

"Carden Erebus Greenbiar. Cardan is a variation of Carden. Erebus is the greek god of darkness in greek mythology and I guess my mom saw fit to name me like that, since I was destined for the destruction of the throne and all." The bitterness on his voice was clear and Jude's heart broke for the little kid Cardan once was, who never got the love and appreciation he deserved. 

She took his hand and gently kissed his knuckles. Cardan felt undeserving of such care and devotion, but he would be damned if he didn't spend the rest of his life paying it back tenfold. She would tell him later that that's what they did; they gave each other the love they didn't feel worthy of. For now, it was enough to kiss in their bed, arms around each other.

"If it makes you feel better, my name is inspired by one of The Beatles song." Jude said, giggling softly but Cardan just looked at her confused.

"What the hell is a Beatle?" 

They both chuckled, then he leaned his head down and kissed her beckoning lips. They started slow, then she kissed him back with heat, and he wrapped his arm around her back. 

The king gently tucked the blanket around her shoulders, tucking himself deeper into her embrace as they lay back together against their bed. Accommodating for his height, he curled himself around her, head resting between her breasts, ear pressed to her chest. He took in a shaky, shuddering breath, tension releasing out in a rush as his body relaxed against her, soft and pliable as he finally found his peace.

"I love you, Cardan."


End file.
